The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1887-08-25
Our Evening Sermon
"And when the devil had ended all
the temptation, he departed from him
for season."-Luke 14-13.

the temptation, he departed from MIR
for a season. Luke 14-13.
The great mistake Of the human
race, or at least one that has cause
the race much suffering and disap
pointment, is the over-confdence in
duced by seeming disappearance o
temptation. 1t requires all the shrewd
ness and watchfulness Of which tn
human mind is capable. to battle tn
enemy Of souls. He is watchful; h
is tireless; he is energetic; he is reso
lutte; he is bad; he is mean; his who'll
aim is in dragging souls down, in di
verting the minds Of men from right
eous things, and endeavoring to &C
complish the ultimate ruin Of the race
No opportunity for taking advantag
Of poor, weak mortality, is permittet
to pass unimproved. He comes will
his most enticing arguments, and tn
soul has great struggle, possibly, t.
shake him off, At last, it may be, th'
tempter is driven away, and the sou
is devoutly thankful that it has escap
ed. Yet has it escapad? 1t was sait
in the Divine word sin such an hou1
as We think not, the Son Of Man com
eth" 1t might be said Of the evi
spirit, with equal truthfulness. Ir
the moments when evil influences
might be least expected that one who
is seeking the ruin of souls is reaching
out and grasping at the weak places
in human character. So gently, sc
tenderly, does he come at times, that
it is almost impossible to convince the
party exposed to danger that there is
any danger.
We have known types Of character
that felt their own security, and to
whom thoughts of falling into the
power Of the tempter were as foreign
as anything could possible be, yet we
have seen the questionable influence
taking hold, and being gradually de-
veloped into positive sin. We should
not only beware of the tempter in the
first place-but we should beware as
well Of the tempter that leaves for a
time, only to come back in a more
convenient season, and ply his arts
with still greater persistency. Every
young man should remember that
when he starts out in life, the evil
one keeps pace with him. He should
also remember that it is a strong char
acter that can withstand, successfully,
the advances made by the pursuer. It
is worth something for man to be
guarded against the encroachments Of
sin. But the fact that the sinful in
huenee never sleeps, should act as a
menace to the young life. We hold
that the great fountain from which
springs all sinful influences in this
this country Of ours, is the saloon"
Consider the character Of its work.
When the good influences, appealing
to mems reason and sense Of fairness
and uprightness, has offered it's earnest
prayer and retired to rest at night, the
evil influence, laboring to inhame
mems minds and destroy their reason
ing powers, goes on its mission Of sin
aud horror, far into the night, and Of
ten through the entire night Such
is the unequal fight. The young mau
who successfully resists the advance
ments Of the doggery, may fall a vic
tim to the horrible appetite through
the dainty glass presented by the fair
hand Of woman. And it does seem to
US that pretty woman, offering i'll
toxicating liquor to a young man, is
as perfect a representation of Satan as
anything possible to conceive A
beautiful presence, luring man to ru-
in, to despair. Could anything be
more strikingly suggestive9 From
such a source man would scarcely ex-
pect temptation to come. There is
more in the mere act of proffering the
wine-glass than social etiquette. There
is danger-dark, yawning, awful dan
ger. That glass is the key which un-
locks the door Of death, the portals of
hell itself It's sparkling bubbles, as
they merrily well up, tell a story too
horrible for mortal minds to dwell up
on. It contains a million records Of
a million lost souls; it is message
direct from Satan's throne; it is the
most horribly suggestive of any act
known to the human family. Woe
unto him that putteth the bottle to
his brothers lips"
So these temptations come, some in
a most unaccountable and unexpected
way. One cannot understand why or
how they come. It is enough that
they do come. Every man shonld re-
member that when the tempter goes
away, there is strong probability that
he will come again. There is but one
hope of escape. That is to so fortify
the soul as to be proof against the ad-
of temptation. The great
source Of strength Of character is Di-
vine Grace. The life that lives pray
erfully and uprightly is safe life.
There should be the realization of a
constant dependence upon the Divine
Ruler, the great leader of our lives
and helper Of our infrmities. If the
tempter goes away, beware of his COM
ing back again. Be prepared. Watch